The verb to cost · Conjugation
Past Simple of cost
The answer: cost
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to cost is cost.
Example: The book cost £15.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | cost |
| You | cost |
| He / She / It | cost |
| We | cost |
| You (pl.) | cost |
| They | cost |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Three identical forms
Cost → cost → cost. Like cut, hit, hurt, let, put, set, shut. The form never changes.
2. It costs £10 yesterday ❌
Present, after he, she, it: it costs (with -s). With other subjects: they cost. Past: it cost yesterday (no -s, with a past time word).
3. Costed exists, but...
Costed exists in business English (to calculate a cost): The project was costed at £1M. But to say how much you paid, use cost: My bike cost £200.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of cost?+
The Past Simple of cost is cost (the same as the base form!). The past participle is also cost. Three identical forms: cost → cost → cost.
How do you know if cost is present or past?+
Look at the subject and the time words. Present: It costs £20 (with -s after he, she, it). Past: It cost £20 yesterday (no -s, and a past time word).
How do you ask the price in the past?+
Now: How much does it cost? In the past: How much did it cost? After does and did, use the base form cost.
Cost or price: which one do I use?+
Cost = the money you pay. Price = the amount on the label. Compare: the cost of living and the price of milk. They often mean the same.
Is costed correct?+
Not for prices. Cost is irregular: its Past Simple stays cost. Costed exists, but only in business English, to mean to calculate how much something will cost.
Related pages: cost Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/cost/past-simple
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.
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More forms of the verb to cost are coming soon.